


Emotion - Envy

by f_imaginings



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Character Study, Drabble, emotion prompt, envy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-06
Updated: 2015-02-06
Packaged: 2018-03-10 17:22:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3298235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/f_imaginings/pseuds/f_imaginings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of an emotion prompt drabble exercise. Jack is envious of the other Guardians.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Emotion - Envy

It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the kids who could see him.

Just the thought of  _being seen_ , of being acknowledged, not just acknowledged,  _believed in_ , had his chest aching, fit to burst, with this horrible mixture of pain and happiness.

It hurt so much, because it was such a warm feeling.

To have believers, to feel real.

It hurt because it was so unfamiliar, it ached.

The pain didn’t negate how awestruck he was with bone deep appreciation. How each spark of belief from every child was like an epiphany with each cold dead breath he took. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the kids who could see him.

It was that the others, North, Tooth, the other Guardians – they had no idea what it was like to be so shaken by the belief of a child.

The other Guardian’s lapped up belief, it was always sustenance for them. From what Jack could see, belief was like air. It was crucial, sustaining, but for them it had always been around.

Jack seethed, because of how flippant they were. How used to it they were. It was like they were taking the belief for granted.

They didn’t know what it was like to run short on air.

They didn’t know what it was like to drown.

When the Yeti made a mistake with making a child’s perfect toy, it astounded Jack that North could simply wave it off. “Is no big deal. We make more.”

When Bunny talked about kids “Stepping on my googies, kids like that don’t need them anyway.” Jack was aghast.

When Tooth wiped her forehead. “Oh well, that one tooth will still be there tomorrow!”

It disturbed Jack, how quickly they could all forget losing everything, how they could nestle up safe and warm in the belief of millions, how careless they could be with it.

Every time a child caught his eye, the little spark of wonder and joy blossomed like a furnace, melting his frosty core. It undid him.

Jack wouldn’t say he was envious of the other Guardian’s belief. It went deeper than that. He was envious of their ability to take it in stride. He was envious of their ability to live with it. 


End file.
